BALTIMORE – For three rounds Anthony Johnson dominated and demoralized Phil Davis, battering him on the feet and shutting down his takedowns en route to a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

Johnson got to work early, hurting Phil Davis with big right hands in the first round and sending him back to his corner with a visibly damaged left eye. Though Davis tried to mount a comeback in round two, he had no answer for Johnson’s stand-up skills and never even got close to getting Johnson to the floor.

By the time the third round came to a close, there was little doubt as to how the judges would see it. Johnson’s victory was as one-sided as it was impressive, and afterward he thanked UFC President Dana White for releasing him after a series of failed weight cuts.

“Every win is a great win, this one included,” Johnson later said. “He had good movement; he’s a very evasive fighter – not to mention he has an incredibly hard head. I didn’t have any octagon jitters. I felt right at home back in the UFC. I wanted to fight to the best of my abilities and I think tonight I did that. I didn’t let myself worry about what the press was saying because I was focused this whole camp.”

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.